Issue Position: Keeping America Safe at Home and Abroad

Issue Position

Keeping America Safe at Home and Abroad

Supporting Our Military and Fighting Additional Defense Cuts
As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, and Chairman of the Naval Academy Board of Visitors, it is an honor to support our men and women in uniform. I oppose those in Congress who hold military funding hostage for political gain, and I will continue to fight for the funding and equipment our Armed Forces need in the war against terrorism and global emerging threats, and for the support and care they need when they return home.

I am strongly opposed to further defense cuts. The Department of Defense is already required to cut $487 billion over the next ten years -- more than any other Department. We must prevent additional cuts to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the resources and tools they need to keep America safe. I am committed to fighting "sequestration," which will require additional cuts of $492 billion to our nation's defense. Congress must act now to reverse this disastrous gutting of our nation's defense.

I also serve as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus where I am able to advocate for responsible shipbuilding budgets in Congress. The shipbuilding industry is vital to our national defense, our industrial base, and our economy.

Protecting the Homeland
I am opposed to bringing any Guantanamo Bay detainees to the Commonwealth or the United States. We cannot afford to take the risk of endangering innocent citizens by housing terrorists nearby. I have cosponsored several pieces of legislation to prohibit the transfer of terrorists to Virginia and will continue to work to make sure our country is kept safe from those who want to harm us.

I support the rights and protections granted in our Constitution. I adamantly oppose any attempts to suspend or surpass habeas corpus, allow detention of American citizens without due process of law, or allow American citizens to be tried by military tribunals. We must continue to be vigilant about those who wish harm on our country, and should not encourage terrorists to travel to the U.S. for safe haven from prosecution

Honoring our Veterans
I believe it is of the utmost importance to keep the promises that have been made to our veterans. I support legislation that provides concurrent receipt of both disability compensation and retirement benefits, and I am opposed to increases in TRICARE premiums or fees. I voted for legislation that blocked the Administration's proposals to increase annual fees to TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Standard, and prevented the establishment of an annual TRICARE-for-Life fee. On the Armed Services Committee, I serve as the top Republican on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over all military health care programs and issues. The claims backlog in VA Hospitals is unacceptable, and I will continue to work to see that our veterans have the care they deserve. With your vote, I would be honored to continue to fight for our veterans on these and other issues which affect them.

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